1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technology that starts an engine in response to wireless signals transmitted from a remote control.
2. Description of the Background Art
Remote engine starting technologies are known that allow a user to remotely start an engine mounted on a vehicle by operating a remote control and that warm up the engine before the user gets in the vehicle. If using such a technology, for example, in a cold region, the user may start driving the vehicle once getting in the vehicle because the engine of the vehicle has already been warmed up.
Such a remote engine starting technology stops the engine of the vehicle running when the user unlocks or opens a door of the vehicle. If the engine is allowed to keep running without being stopped, there is a possibility that an improper user who is not a proper user may intrude into and try to steal the vehicle during a time period from when the user remotely starts the engine to when he/she arrives at the vehicle.
However, it is inconvenient for a proper user that he/she needs to restart the engine stopped that was remotely started when getting in the vehicle.
In order to solve the inconvenience, a technology has been proposed that performs authentication based on a wireless signal transmitted from a wireless key during the time period from when the user remotely starts the engine to when he/she arrives at the vehicle, and that keeps the engine running when the authentication is successful. When the authentication is unsuccessful, the conventional technology stops the engine running or outputs an alarm.
When the user remotely starts the engine, the conventional technology disables functions of most of in/on-vehicle electrical equipment, such as powered windows, until the vehicle becomes ready to run. Therefore, it is inconvenient for a user because the user cannot use the functions of most of the electrical equipment during a time period from when the user gets in the vehicle to when the vehicle becomes ready to run.